With four days remaining in the race Gordon, a NASCAR veteran, trails Peterhansel by nearly six minutes in the overall standings.

He said: "We had a couple of big scary moments. For us, we've got to make time. We're in a different position to him (Peterhansel). He has to conserve his time and I've got to make it.

"We've got four days left, four real days of racing left and the Hummer's strong. I can't believe he could catch us there, because we were going crazy. So he's a madman; if he beats us, he's a madman. Madder than me!"

In the motorbike classification, Cyril Despres won stage nine to return to the top of the overall standings in his seesaw battle with Spain's Mark Como.

The Frenchman, who got stuck in a patch of mud for ten minutes during stage eight, bounced back to triumph in the 606km stretch with Como coming in second.

Despres now leads Como by two minutes 28 seconds in the overall standings. He told the Dakar Rally's official website: "After a difficult day yesterday when you start to doubt, I had to get back to winning ways.

"It's very competitive. Like any top level sportsman, if you don't like confrontation or squeezing the last ounces of strength out of yourself, then you're not ready for a fight. But, as for me, I'm up for it."